Chapter 501

Natalie arrived at the location Annabelle had specified: a hospital belonging to the Hughes family. She was deeply shocked. To avoid a divorce and his parents' disappointment, Jeremy would harm his own child. Natalie wondered if this was the same Jeremy she knew.

While Annabelle's actions as a mistress were despicable, Jeremy's were equally contemptible and vile. Natalie's heart ached. Her love for Jeremy had been deeply ingrained, but now an innocent life hung between them, ending any future they might have had.

Half an hour later, Natalie arrived at the hospital—a place she'd visited several times before for Jeremy's pre-pregnancy checkups. She never imagined she'd return to confront Jeremy's mistress. At reception, she inquired about Annabelle's ward, only to be told no such patient existed. Had she not known Annabelle was there, Natalie might have been fooled.

Her thoughts drifted back to her visit to Jeremy's company, where she'd been told he was on a business trip. The parallels were striking; it felt as if they were deliberately deceiving her, playing mind games.

"I'll just have a look around," Natalie said, heading straight for the elevator. The receptionist immediately made a phone call.

Natalie reached the inpatient department and quickly found Annabelle, dressed in a hospital gown, pale and weak. Her usual striking beauty was replaced by a pathetic fragility that evoked sympathy. Annabelle clearly hadn't expected Natalie's arrival.

"You…" Annabelle stammered, startled. She couldn't believe Natalie had actually come. Moments before, she'd been contemplating how to prevent Jeremy from leaving her. Every step had been difficult, yet Natalie had appeared.

"Surprised to see me? Didn't you want to meet? You went to great lengths to get me here. What exactly do you want?" Natalie demanded. "Let me be clear—no one forced you to become a mistress. Now that you've lost your child, it has nothing to do with me. Don't resort to moral coercion. Stay away from me, or I'll hire a private investigator to dig into your past. You won't win."

Annabelle was taken aback by Natalie's intimidating demeanor. She feared an investigation; her past wouldn't withstand scrutiny. Jeremy had never investigated her, viewing her as a mere plaything; as long as she pleased him, nothing else mattered.

"If you're going to be blunt, so will I," Annabelle said. "Mr. Hughes is forcing me to leave Jipsburg to protect you. I'm being forced to terminate my pregnancy and leave in disgrace. I can't accept that. Ms. Jakeman, please, don't let Mr. Hughes be so heartless."

Natalie found this absurd. "A mistress begging the legitimate wife to let her stay? Annabelle, just because you lack morals doesn't mean everyone else does. If you can persuade Jeremy to sleep with you, persuade him to divorce me and marry you."

Natalie had always thought the melodrama in TV shows was exaggerated, but experiencing this made her realize it was even more ridiculous.

Chapter 100 (Note: There is no text for Chapter 100 provided.)